Table of contents:
- The reasons for the appearance of stretch marks in men
- Various causes of stretch marks in men
- Weight gain or loss
- Rapid growth at puberty
- Muscle building or bodybuilding
- Adrenal disease causes stretch marks in men
- Use of corticosteroid cream
Stretch marks are synonymous with women, especially pregnant women. However, men may also experience stretch marks with various causes. How do stretch marks in men appear? What are the causes? The following is the review.
The reasons for the appearance of stretch marks in men
Generally, stretch marks that are experienced by men are the same as that of women. Stretch marks or in medical terms are called striae distensae are fine and long lines that occur on the skin. These lines are formed when the skin stretches or shrinks suddenly.
When the skin stretches or shrinks faster than normal, the skin elasticity component called collagen breaks down and the middle layer of skin called the dermis is torn. In the end, fine lines form on the top layer of skin (epidermis) in the area of the stretched skin.
Stretch marks can occur anywhere on the skin. However, generally, stretch marks in men appear on the shoulders, back, hips, abdomen, calves, buttocks and thighs.
Stretch marks also have two phases of development. At first appearance, the stretch mark lines will appear red or purple in color. The skin will often feel itchy.
Over time, stretch marks tend to turn white or have no color and appear inferior to the surrounding skin. When it is like this, dealing with stretch marks will be more difficult.
Basically, stretch marks are harmless. However, its appearance can interfere with appearance so that it often causes stress.
Various causes of stretch marks in men
So far, there is no definite cause for the appearance of stretch marks on the skin. However, doctors think the appearance of stretch marks is a combination of three factors, namely hormones, stretching of the skin, and changes in skin cells.
In addition, the appearance of stretch marks can also be due to genetic factors. If someone in your family has stretch marks, you have the potential to get them too. Here are some of the potential causes of stretch marks that may occur in men.
Stretch marks generally occur due to rapid weight gain or loss or obesity. When this occurs, there is a buildup or decrease in fat drastically, causing the appearance of vertical lines on the skin of the abdomen and surrounding areas.
During puberty, you are prone to experiencing stretch marks. When a man goes through puberty, there are horizontal stretches of the skin that occur in the upper arms, thighs, buttocks, and back.
When doing sports or lifting weights for muscle building (bodybuilding), the muscles will grow rapidly, triggering a stetch mark. Usually, stretch marks due to bodybuilding it occurs on the outer edge of the chest muscles or in the crook of the shoulder.
Apart from the three things above, stretch marks may also occur in men who have adrenal gland disorders, such as diabetes, Cushing's syndrome, Marfan's syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and scleroderma. Reporting from VeryWellHealth, this can happen because these diseases are linked to the presence of excess corticosteroid hormones.
Corticosteroids regulate the production of skin cells known as keratinocytes in the epidermis and fibroblasts in the dermis. The fibroblasts are very important to produce collagen which the body uses to maintain skin elasticity. When the corticosteroid hormone is excess, less collagen is produced so that the skin becomes less elastic and stretch marks can form.
Apart from the four things above, the use of corticosteroid cream for a long period of time can cause stretch marks in men. Creams containing corticosteroids are usually found in hydrocortisone that doctors prescribe to treat eczema.
